Opening and dispensing device



I y 1942- s. s. ANDARY 2,282,150 OPENING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29. 1940 grwwm fiamh 5. n duly dispensing device for .views,. l designates Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" Sarah S. Andary, Ocala, Fla.

Application AW 29, 1940, said N0; 354,758

8Claims.

This invention relates to a novel opening and boxes and packages and especially designed for cereal containers and other merchandise in the form of a mass of fine particles which may be poured.

A primary aim of the invention is to provide a device adapted to cover one end and the sides of a cereal box to protect the contents thereof from moisture, said device being provided with a transparent body portion so that labels and other printed matter on the sides of the box may be seen for indicating the contents thereof.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a device which will neatly open the box and including a closure adapted to automatically open when the device is tilted for dispensing the contents of the box, said closure automatically returning to a closed position when the device is placed in an upright position for sealing the contents of the box to retain the cereal in a fresh, crisp condition.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide an improved cutting member for cutting a flap in the top of the box for forming an opening therein and means, sure of the device for pulling the flap outwardly of the box and for severing the flap from the box.

associated with the 010- The body portion H is adapted to be disposed Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the-drawing, which 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure the cover of the device detached from the body portion thereof, and

Figure 6 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the means for removing the flap from the box.

5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing around a box, not shown, for enclosing the sides thereof and is made transparent so that labels and printed matter contained thereon may be easily read for ascertaining the contents of the box. Body portion II at its lower edge is provided with recesses 13 in opposite sides thereof to permit the lower end of the box to be grasped between the fingers for removing it from the device III. The upper end of the body portion It is closed by means of a rigid cover M, which may be formed of sheet metal, and which is attached thereto by means of an interlocking joint l5 or may be secured thereto in any other suitable manner as by means of an adhesive.

A knife I6 is secured to and'depends from the cover M adjacent one end thereof. Knife I6 is disposed within the body I I and includes a blade I! which is disposed adjacent an end of the cover H and transversely thereof and the corresponding blades l8 which are disposed longitudinally of the cover l4. Blades l1 and 18 are formed integral and are provided with the V- shaped cut-out portions I9. 'The blade I! is also provided wtih a cut-out portion 20, adjacent its top. Blade I1 is provided with'the downwardly diverging cutting edges 2| and the blades l8 are provided with the downwardly inclined cutting edges 22 each of which is disposed in converging relationship to a cutting edge 2| and at a right angle thereto.

The cover I4 is provided with an opening 23 disposed between the blades I8 and which is normally closed by means of a door or closure 24 which is hinged at 25, intermediate of the ends of the cover I. The hinge 25 is formed by extensions 26 on one end of the door ,24 which are looped around a pin 21, the ends of which pin are journaled in aperturedears 28 which are struck-up from the cover M, A spring 29 has its ends coiled about the pin 21 and'is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly projecting, arcuately shaped intermediate portion 29' which extends through an opening 30, in the cover l4 and beneath the hinge 25. The door 24 is also provided with a downwardly and rearwardly projecting lip 30', which extends through the opening 30 and is disposed behind the portion 29 when the door 24 is in a closed position, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

An arm 31 is hingedly connected to a bracket 32 which depends from the door 24, adjacent its free end. A spring 33 is carried by the hinge pin 36, which pivotally connects the arm 3| to an inwardly projecting hook 35, at its free end,

and is provided with an apertured ear 36 on its inner side and adjacent its secured end to which is pivotally connected 9. plunger rod 31 which is slidably mounted in an opening 38 in the door 24 and which is provided with a headed upper end 39 disposed above the door and adapted to be pressed downwardly to swing the arm 3| downwardly and into the opening 20, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

The edge of the cover l4, along the inner edge of its opening 23, is sharpened and toothed to form a serrated cutting edge 40.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the attachment l can be applied over a box, containing cereal for example, which the body portion II is sized to fit and as the attachment I0 is moved downwardly thereon the body portion II will engage the sides of the box, not shown, to form a guide for the cutting knife H; which will cut a flap in one end of the box. As the device I!) is pushed down on the box the rod 31 is held in a depressed position for holding the arm 3| in a lowered position with its free end 35 in the opening 20 so that said end will pass the outer end of the flap, not shown, which is formed by the cutting edges 2| and 22. After the attachment I0 is pressed down to completely cover the cereal box the plunger 31 is released thereby permitting the spring 33 to swing the arm; 3| upwardly beneath the outer end of the flap. The closure 24 is then swung to an open position and the flap detached from the arm 3| to disconnect it from the box by being drawn across'the cutting edge 40 for severing the flap.

' The closure 24 will be normally held by gravity in a closed position'except when the device H1 is tilted to cause the contents of the box to flow through the opening therein formed by the knife I6 and through the opening 23 so that the pressure-of the contents will open the door 24 to permit the cereal to be poured therefrom. When the device I0 is returned to an upright position a the door 24 will resume its closed position to spring on the lip 30' will urge the door 24 back toward a closed position. As previously mentioned the transparent body portion permits rinted matter on the box contained within the device ID to be read. It will thus be apparent that the device II] will provide a neat attachment for cereal boxes to form aneat opening therein so that the unsightly irregular torn openings will be avoided and as a result the cereal box will be maintained in an attractive condi-, tion and with the attachment. l0 applied thereto 65 will form an attractive container which will enhance the appearance of a dining table.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pouring attachment for containers comprising a cover adapted to be applied to the top said cover for piercing the top of the container for forming an opening therein, said cover having an opening arranged to be disposed above the opening formed in the container, a hinged 6 closure for closing the opening in said cover, and hinged manually operative means carried by said closure for engaging a cut-out portion in said container formed by the cutting means and for drawing said cut-out portion outwardly 10 through theI opening inflthe cover. when the closure is moved-to an-open position.

2. An attachment as in claim 1, said cover being provided with a cutting edge along one end of'its opening for severing the cut-out portion from the container.

3. An attachment as in claim 1, comprising a and adapted to fit over the side walls of the con- .tainer'and forming means for guiding the attachment in applying it to the container for directing the cutting means into engagement with an end of" the container.

4, An attachment as in claim 1, said closure being adapted to be opened by the pressure of the contents of the container when said conv tainer is tilted in one direction for. dispensing the contents thereof, said closure being returned to a closed position by gravity when the container is returned to an upright position, and spring means for urging the closure toward a closed position when the closure is moved to a fully opened position.

5. An attachment as in claim 1, said cutting means comprising a plurality. of integral blades,

3.; one of said blades being disposed at right angles to the other blades, said first mentioned blade having a cutting edge disposed in downwardly converging relationship to a cutting edge of each of said last mentioned blades.

6. An opening and dispensing attachment for boxes comprising a flanged cover adapted to be -applied over the top of a box, said cover having depending cutting means for forming an opening in the box when the cover is applied thereto, said cover having an opening arranged to be disposed over the opening formed in the box, a hinged closure for closing said opening, said cutting means including a plurality of integral blades, one of said blades being disposed transversely of the cover, and the other blades being disposed longitudinally of the cover, said first mentioned blade having downwardly diverging cutting edges and said last mentioned blades having cutting edges each disposed in downwardly converging relationship to one of said first mentioned cutting edges to coact therewith for cutting a flap in the top of the box to form the opening thereof.

7. An opening and dispensing attachment for boxes comprising a flanged cover adapted to be applied over the top of a box, said cover having depending cutting means for forming an opening in the box when the cover is applied thereto, said cover having an opening arranged to be disposed over the opening formed in the box, a hinged closure for closing said opening, said cutting means including a plurality of integral H blades attached to and depending from the cover, one of said blades being disposed transversely of the cover, and the other blades being disposed longitudinally of the cover, said first mentioned blade having a cutting edge disposed in downwardly converging relationship to a cutting edge of each of the' last mentioned blades for cutting a flap in the top of the box transparent apron depending from the coverto form-the opening thereof, and means carried by said closure for engaging the flap and for drawing the flap outwardly through the opening of the closure when the closure is swung to an open position.

8. An attachment for use with an opening and dispensing device for cereal boxes comprising a rectangular body portion having one end thereof attached to the dispensing device, the opposite end or the body portion being open to receive the cereal box for insertion endwise therein, and said body portion being formed of a transparent, substantially rigid material and being sized to snugly engage the side walls of the box.

SARAH S. ANDARY. 

